Housewife suing Malaysian govt, hospital over loss of breast

Lead counsel Datuk Dr Arunan Selvaraj

PHOTO: The Star/Asia News Network

KUALA LUMPUR - A housewife is suing the Government and a hospital's specialist for RM20mil (S$6 million) for negligence, which she claims resulted in the loss of her left breast.

I. Pertemahwadi, 56, said the incident had caused her emotional suffering and mental distress, and she has been unable to carry out her household responsibilities since February last year.

Among others, she is seeking RM20mil in general and aggravated damages, and RM223,487 in special damages.

Lead counsel Datuk Dr Arunan Selvaraj said his client was proceeding with the civil claim, filed at the High Court registry here yesterday, because the hospital had failed to give any explanation for the incident.

"We don't want this to happen to other women," Arunan added.

In her claim, Pertemah­wadi said she was advised to undergo heart bypass surgery when she sought treatment at the Serdang Hospital on Jan 22 last year.

She said the hospital's specialist, Dr Abdul Muiz Jasid, performed the bypass surgery on Feb 16 last year and she was discharged nine days later.

Pertemahwadi, who is married to a businessman and has a 14-year-old son, said the specialist did not advise her on the potential consequences of the bypass, particularly in view of her diabetic condition and the weight of her breast.

She said she was discharged despite complaining to the specialist that the wound on her chest was beginning to open up.

Instead, she claimed she was told that opening of the stitches was normal.

In her statement of claim, she said she was prescribed medication but no antibiotics.

Subsequently, she was told to seek post-operative treatment at a nearby health clinic.

On Feb 27 last year, she said the attending doctor found an open 5cm wound with apparent infection and advised her to return to the hospital. She was admitted and advised to remove the infected part of her left breast.

However, she said the operation did not solve the problem as the infection had spread to the entire breast which had to be removed in a second surgical procedure.

Pertemahwadi, who said she had lost confidence in the treatment, attention and care by the hospital, was subsequently discharged voluntarily on April 1 and sought treatment at another medical centre.